Chapter 2

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"Mam! I want food," Cody shouted to his mother as Katie and Callum walked home from school. A tall boy with red-brown hair and green eyes came from the living room.
"I would stay out of Cody's way if I were you," he said.
"Thanks for the heads up Casey," Katie smiled as she dragged her feet to the kitchen, setting her school bag on the chair. Katie pulled out her school books and sighed at her maths homework.
"What's wrong baby sis," Casey chuckled as he sat opposite Katie.
"A ton of homework," she groaned.
"Tell you what, I can do your Maths and Science, you can do the rest," Casey smiled as he removed the books from the pile. The two were discovered by an ill Cody. Cody sat at the table and sneezed.
"Doing your work are you Casey?" Cody grinned as he looked at Katie's science book.
"Yes I am Cody, you should try it sometime," Casey suggested as Katie snorted with laughter.
"I do my schoolwork Casey," Cody retorted angrily.
"Shut up children," their mother said as she stepped into the kitchen. Casey hastily changed the colour of the pen.
"I was checking Katie's homework," Casey lied.
"Okay, just be quiet and check it. Cody, back to bed," their mother said as she grabbed a bottle of medication from the cupboard.
"Done," Casey smiled as he handed Katie back her books.
"Thanks Casey," Katie replied as she made her way to the pantry. Callum bounced into the room.
"Casey, can you do my science please?" Callum pleaded. Casey rolled his eyes and held out his hand for the book. Callum gladly handed over his books and joined Katie, who was eating the tarts their mother had set out as an after school snack.
"I'm going out before dinner," Katie stated as she threw her blazer at the table and sprinted out of the front door.
"Unbelievable!" Exclaimed Casey, exasperated by his little sister's activities.
Katie kept running towards the bus stop and hopped on the back of the emerald bus. She stayed there until a hand rested on her shoulder.
"Why are you here Miss Church?" asked the voice of Jack Harper.
"Mr Harper. I was on my way to Micheal's," she squeaked.
"I won't charge you for this ride if you keep silent," Jack whispered in her ear as he pulled out a cigarette. Katie nodded as the bus came to a halt. She sprang off and down the narrow streets. Eventually, she arrived at the Cooper's house, hearing the familiar sounds of Micheal and his older brothers. Katie knocked on the door to have the eldest boy, Leonardo, answer.
"Can I help you?" He asked politely as the second eldest, Lorenzo, pushed him out of the way.
"It's her," Lorenzo gulped. He nudged Leonardo and pulled him away from the door.
"I'm here to see Mikey," Katie said, rolling her eyes at the brothers. A much shorter Micheal came out from behind his brothers.
"Come in Katie," Micheal smiled, "these are my brothers. Leonardo, or Leo, and Lorenzo."
"Nice to meet you two," Katie smiled as she held her hand out. The eldest brothers reluctantly shook it and fled from the room.
"What's their problem?" Katie questioned. 
"Every kid at school is terrified of you," Michel replied.
"Oh, after I smashed a concrete slab over that kid's head?" Katie asked.
"Correct."
"I never thought of the consequences," Katie admitted.
"I can tell. They also found a body in the woods," Micheal said casually. Katie snapped her head up in attention.
"A body?" She muttered.
"Yeah, rumour has it that they found identification of the man," Micheal said, knowing that he had hooked Katie's full attention to him.
"They say it was the body of the late Mr Church, some kind of poisonous substance killed him in the end," Micheal sighed as he handed Katie a cup of tea.
"Thanks for the tea Mikey, see you tomorrow at school," Katie gulped down the tea and escaped the house. Her thoughts taking control of her body.

"Freak!" A bully yelled at Katie. The small blonde lost her temper as she saw the loose concrete slab in a fit of blinded rage.
"I will give you a freak - a freaky big headache!" She yelled back as she pulled up the slab and used all of her force to swing it above her head. It made a sickening thud as it collided full force with the bully's head, breaking the slab in half.
"Katie Church!"  The teacher's voice rang throughout the silent playground.  The firm grasp took Katie's arm as an ambulance arrived at the school. Katie was pulled to the headmaster's office. Her father arrived, covered with oil and a grim expression on his usually cheery face.
"Katie, why did you do this?" Her father inquired.
"He was bullying me and my brothers father," Katie replied truthfully.
"I stand behind you Katie. You know  what is right and what is wrong," Her father smiled as he spread a bit of oil on her cheek. Whatever the headmaster had to say would be said, as long as Katie had her father then she would accept her punishment.

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"Can I help you?" Katie asked as she opened the front door to be met by two police officers.
"Is your mother here?" One policeman asked.
"She is at work sir," Katie responded.
"Are you home alone?" The second policeman questioned.
"No sir, I am here with my three older brothers," Katie replied.
"How old are they?" The first one asked.
"The eldest is 18, second eldest is 16 and the youngest brother is 15," Katie said.
"May we come in and talk to your eldest brother?" The policeman asked. It sounded like a request as well as a command.
"Yes sir, come in," Katie beckoned the two policemen in and into the living room. In the corner chair was Casey, looking intently at the police.
"What has Cody done this time?" Casey sighed.
"This isn't about Cody, it's about your father." The policeman said.
"I'm Officer Jones and this is Officer O' Neil," the other policeman said. Casey's head snapped up.
"Katie leave the room," he instructed.
"But Casey, he's my father too," Katie protested.
"Just do as I say," Casey snapped.

"What happened officer Jones?" Casey asked as he took a sip of his drink.
"We found his body in the woods," Officer Jones started.
"He had something poisonous. We have not yet discovered what the substance was, however we think it was either cyanide or arsenic poison," Officer O' Neil concluded.
"Thank you. I shall inform my mother of your visit and information," Casey sighed dismissively. Casey was 8 when his father had disappeared, so it had hit him harder than his younger brothers, but not Katie. She was his favourite out of all of them, even though she was the youngest child. The officers nodded and left the building.

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